The Final Battle
by FallenAngel1788
Summary: Raistlin is ready to pursue his ultimate goal; to become a god. But he only has to face his mortal enemy, and she was once his friend. Who will come out as ruler of the darkness in the end? FINISHED!
1. Prologue

(Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.  They belong to Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.  And I thank them for letting me use them.)

The Final Battle

It was a dark night when I found myself next to Crystalmir Lake, just outside of the tree-town, Solace.  No moonlight glimmered on the lake's surface; no stars kept their steady watch.

I tread softly upon the muddy bank, a cool breeze lifting stray locks of auburn hair from my face.  My silver-hemmed robes whispered around my ankles, telling an untold story of sorrow and dark trials.

I stopped at the water's edge.  The trees trembled as the wind grew colder.  I smiled in satisfaction.  So he had sent his challenge.  I was ready.  Once, long ago, we had met in blissful ignorance, oblivious to the future.  Once, long ago, we had been friends, equal in our own rights.  But now, power and ambition ruled over friendship and love.  Now was the time for the final battle and to answer the long unanswered question.  Who would reign supreme in the kingdom of darkness and black magic? 


	2. The Spider and the Prey

Raistlin watched in silence as dawn approached cold and gray.  He lay his hand gently on the window sill, perhaps hoping the sun would touch upon his burning skin; perhaps he hoped he could keep the morning from coming by merely frightening the glowing rays of the new sun away.  Whatever the reason, he kept his hand on the sill, examining the stone beneath his fingers.

The sun peeked over the horizon, spreading its golden rays over the white city of Palanthas.  No sun penetrated the fearsome Shoikon Grove surrounding his tower, though.  Raistlin was doomed to live in eternal darkness, and he knew it.  For he had sacrificed everything for power; his friends, his family, even his health had fled, slipped from his grasp as his power grew.  There was no turning back to the life he once led; there was only the continuous climb to the top.

Raistlin's face contorted into an angry scowl, and he clenched his hand into a fist.  How dare he start turning sentimental! He thought bitterly.  He could not turn back now, not when he was so close to achieving the ultimate prize!  Only one person stood in his way.  Inanna.   

She had been the closest thing to a true friend in his whole life.  Raistlin had met the sly, seductive elf maiden after he had stranded his companions and twin brother in the center of the maelstrom in the Blood Sea of Istar.  He had traveled the lands, and they two had met up as Raistlin was passing through the dying land of Silvanesti.  She had been the only elf for miles, and at the time, Raistlin had found it odd that she was even in that bleeding land at all.

But he soon found out that Inanna thrived in the darkness, an unusual trait for elves.  He knew that she had been banished, for she had mentioned this without any trace of remorse in her voice.  It had almost seemed to him that she had intended to be thrown out of her home from the start.  When he had tried to leave the dying forest, Inanna had followed without a word.  Soon, the two had become close companions, but there was always that lurking need for more power.  There was always that unspoken need to battle for supremacy between them.

Raistlin and Inanna separated a few months later, pursuing each of their own goals.  Raistlin had joined the Dark Queen, Takhisis, and Inanna had vanished from his life for forevermore.  Or so he thought.  

Inanna's spirit had swept through the land the night before.  He had felt the familiar tingling run through his body at her presence.  She was coming ever closer, waiting in the shadows like a spider lies in wait for its prey.  But the battle would rage on, and only one could return victorious; only one could return alive.  

A soft knock on the door interrupted his memories.

"Enter," he commanded in his soft, but chilling voice.

The door opened and Raistlin's apprentice, Dalamar, entered.

"You wanted to see me, _Shalafi_?" Dalamar asked.

"Yes.  There is a woman on her way here.  Make sure she feels comfortable."

If Dalamar felt anything towards this request, he didn't show it.  He nodded, keeping his delicate elven features free of emotion, and left the room without a word.

Inanna, his old friend and rival, was coming.  He had felt her spirit on the wind last night.  He had called to her, given her an unspoken challenge to fight him, to try and win.  Inanna, named after the goddess of love, war, and life itself, was coming to begin an endless battle of strength and will.

Raistlin smiled.  She was here, riding the wind.  He strode over to a small table by the fire, his black robes brushing lightly against his ankles.  He muttered a few words of the spidery language of magic, and wine and fruit appeared on the table.  He conjured a golden goblet, and filled it to the brim with the special elvish wine.

_'There,' _he thought.  He wanted to make her feel at home, after all.  He wanted her to show all of her weaknesses, so that none could stop him.  There was too much to lose if she triumphed over him, and he wasn't going to risk it.  Inanna was a fly, heading straight for Raistlin's web.  And he would lie in wait, patiently, until she arrived.


	3. Through the Shoikon Grove

I rode comfortably atop my black dragon, Ciro.  His strong body made me feel secure, and the feel of his powerful wings beating beneath me, and his rippling muscles was a constant reminder of my assured safety.

_'We're almost there, mistress.'  _I heard Ciro's deep voice echo through my mind.

_'Good.  Ciro, thank you.'  _Though I couldn't see it, I sensed his proud smile.

Ciro and I had been close for many years now.  After Raistlin had betrayed me and joined the Dark Queen, Ciro had come to be by my side.  I had found him flying through the sky, trying to escape from a group of silver dragons.  It wasn't a fair fight, so I helped him by using my most evil and powerful spells.  Of course, a mage can only do so much against a dragon, but luckily for me, the silver dragons were young and thought I was summoning more dragons from the Abyss.  They fled, and I collapsed.  Ciro had come to my aid at once, and since then we had developed a deep bond of trust and loyalty to each other.  I was the only one whom Ciro would let ride on him, and I was the only one to whom Ciro had told his true name.  Among other humans and the armies of Takhisis, he was known as Night Shadow.

My thoughts strayed to Raistlin and the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas where he resided.  I scowled.  Raistlin, the tricky mage that he was, had betrayed me.  He had left me after he promised to stay!

_'Inanna, there's no future if your mind is always in the past.'  _Ciro, always there to calm me and keep me rational.

I reached forward to stroke his scaly neck.  _'I know, Ciro.  I know.'  _A deep rumble came from the depths of his throat as I stroked his neck with long movements.  _'Ciro!' _I laughed.  _'Sometimes I think you act more like a cat than a dragon!'  _I could feel Ciro grin, and the rumbling grew louder.  I laughed a little harder.

_'It's good to hear you laugh again, Inanna.  Perhaps it'll help you face the Shoikon Grove.  We're here.'_

I looked down and saw the beautiful white buildings of Palanthas, reaching towards the sky.  The streets were just beginning to wake in the early morning light.  Venders were setting up their goods to sell, and shopkeepers were opening their doors.  Mothers were beginning to emerge with young children, and even thieves were beginning to survey what was available to steal.

But only one thing marred the peaceful beauty of the city.  I looked past the streets and brought my eyes up to meet the Tower of High Sorcery.

Black against the pale morning sky, it was like a stain on a cherished length of silk.  There were no people within a mile of it, so great was the terror instilled by the ancient curse, laid upon the tower by a black robed wizard.  

_'Mistress.'  _Ciro's usually strong voice grew uneasy as the two of them neared the tower.  _'I cannot go with you.'_

_'Ciro, I only want you to take me to the edge of the Grove.  I'll take care of the rest.'  _I laid a hand on the base of his neck, just to reassure him.

_'Yes, dearest Inanna.  But be careful.'_

_'Don't worry, Ciro.  I know what I'm doing.'_

Ciro began spiraling downward, towards the Shoikon Grove.  It was an exhilarating feeling, the wind cooling my face and whipping my hair back from behind me.  But that brief joy was soon gone.

Ciro touched down on the ground, and I felt a shudder run through his large body.  He wanted to back away but I held him.

"Ciro,"  I said out loud, not bothering to use telepathy any longer.  "Thank you again.  If you'd like, you may leave."

_'No.  I shall stay until you come out.  I wish I could go with you, but the beings in the Grove are even too frightful for me.'_

"I understand, Ciro.  You are a good friend."

I gave him one last stroke and dismounted.  Instantly, a wave of cold fear washed over me.  I shivered and doubt crept into my heart.  But I couldn't let the living dead waiting inside the twisted trees overpower me.  I pushed the doubt aside and strode to the very edge of the trees.  Turning back around, I saw Ciro watching me with his red eyes full of love.  I nodded at him, and stepped into the dreaded Shoikon Grove.

I was immediately plunged into darkness so deep, that even my elven eyes could not see.  I stood perfectly still for a moment, frozen in fear.  But I made my will stronger and began walking forward.

Hands, colder than ice, came up from the ground and grasped my ankles in a deathlike grip.  I smiled.  The hands let go, as though my skin had burned them.  Their will to pull me under was strong, but mine was stronger.  My thirst for revenge against their master was what kept me going.  Bodiless eyes watched me through the dense foliage, but none tried to come near me.  My power, as strong as Raistlin's, was keeping them at bay.  And at last, I made it to the black gates.  I pushed them open, and the specters moved aside.  Raistlin was their master, and I was their mistress.  They wouldn't harm me.

I stepped up to the door of the black tower and knocked three times.  The door was answered by an elf, no doubt Raistlin's apprentice.

"My _Shalafi _is waiting for you," the handsome dark-elf said.  He stepped aside and I entered the Tower of High Sorcery.  With a few whispered words of magic, we were both transported to a door in a long corridor.  I was finally at Raistlin Majere's study door; I was about to lay eyes on the man who had deserted me long ago.  


	4. We Meet Again

Raistlin looked up from his desk as the door in front of him was pushed open.  He stared at the elf maid standing before him and smiled grimly.  Though his eyes saw only the passing of time, her pure, elven beauty still reached him.  She was never dying; time would never touch her.

Auburn hair fell down her back in soft curls.  Her blue-green eyes were shining with a mixture of emotions: hurt, anger, fear, and even a bit of compassion towards the mage in front of her.  Her hands, just visible beneath her black, velvet robes, were balled into tight fists, and her mouth was set in a defiant smile, telling a different story than her eyes.

"Raistlin Majere," she said softly, dangerously.  "My old…_friend."_

"Inanna," Raistlin replied calmly.  "Welcome."

He rose and walked silently over to the table with the wine.  He poured two glasses , holding one out to Inanna.

She knocked it violently out of his outstretched hand.  The fragile, elven-made glass shattered, and wine slowly stained the ornate rug a dark red.

"Don't you dare try to be pleasant, Raistlin!" Inanna shouted.

Raistlin watched the red liquid spread gradually across his rug before looking Inanna squarely in the eyes.  "Dalamar," Raistlin whispered to his apprentice still standing in the doorway.

"Yes, _Shalafi?" _ Dalamar stepped forward slightly.

"Leave us."  Dalamar nodded, backing out of the room and casting a wary eye over the two.

"Inanna," Raistlin repeated in a chilling voice.  "What brings you here?"

"Stop it Raist!" Inanna said angrily, having regained her composure.  Raistlin started at the sound of his brother's nickname for him.  "Why did you leave?  Why did you betray me?"

"Betray you?!"  Raistlin threw back his head and laughed.  Inanna shivered involuntarily.  "Since when has Raistlin Majere served anyone but himself?  And since when has Inanna, most powerful elf on Ansalon, ever thought that Raistlin was on her side?  I am on no one's side, Inanna.  I thought I made that clear when we met?  I live only to serve myself."

Inanna shook, not with fear, but with anger and a sudden surge of hatred.  She wanted to hit him; she wanted to kill this insolent human standing mockingly before her.  He was no longer an equal; he was common dirt…and he was a threat.

Raistlin smiled, knowing what was going on in her mind.  "Remember Inanna, we made a deal," he smirked.

"Deal?  I don't remember any deal," Inanna said quietly, her voice quivering in anger.  Her fists were clenched harder, resisting the urge to wrap them around his frail neck.

"Oh, but there was a deal."  Raistlin's golden eyes and hourglass pupils were glittering eerily in the flickering firelight.

"What are you talking about?!" Inanna cried in exasperation.  "You never said anything to me but…"  Her voice trailed off, eyes widening in sudden comprehension.

Raistlin gave her a self-satisfied smirk.  "You remember now."  It wasn't a question; it was a statement.  Raistlin's satisfaction grew as he watched Inanna fight the urge to writhe and scream in frustration.

"Oh, stop looking at me in that self-satisfied way, Raist," Inanna snapped.  "Yes, I remember now."

"Good.  Now you can't blame me for betraying you or leaving you."

"Raist, why did you call me here?  To torment me?  Do you enjoy my pain?"

Raistlin remained silent.  Hearing his old nickname come from her lips was beginning to irk him.  He didn't know why it bothered him so, but something about Inanna calling him 'Raist' sent tingles up his spine.

"I am enjoying every minute of it," Raistlin whispered, an icy edge to his voice.  "My pain is your pain, Inanna.  That's what we agreed upon wasn't it?  That's the deal we made when we met years ago."

"I don't remember those exact words, Raist," Inanna said.  "But yes, I do remember something like that."

Raistlin nodded. "Indeed."  He paused, staring into the morning sky outside the window.  "You brought your dragon.  Night Shadow, isn't it?"

Inanna froze, taken aback by the sudden change of subject and tone of his voice.  "Y…yes," she said hesitantly.  "Why does it matter?"

Raistlin turned slowly to look at her, his eyes blazing with a mixture of emotion, his face a cold mask.  He surveyed her silently, intently, with his long-fingered hands clasped behind his back.  

He advanced.  It took every ounce of strength and defiance Inanna possessed to keep from faltering under the mage's all-seeing stare.  She felt her skin burn as he observed her, seemingly reading her mind, her very soul.  Raistlin stopped, barely an inch from her face, and Inanna forced herself to stare right back into those strange, hourglass eyes.

He raised a hand and a long finger pushed a stray lock of hair gently from her face.  Ice shot through Inanna's spine.  She shuddered.

"Allies will be very important in times to come; dear Inanna," Raistlin whispered, poison lacing his mild tone.  "Allies will be _very _important."

"What do you mean?" Inanna replied softly, true fear apparent in her voice.

Raistlin smiled grimly.  "I am about to achieve my dream.  I am about to become ruler of the mortal and immortal worlds."

Inanna's eyes widened.  "A…a god?  Raist, are you mad?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes, a god," he replied flatly.  "And no one can or will stop me."

Inanna backed away, staring at Raistlin in horror.  She shook her head and sank feebly into a chair by the fire, bringing a certain amount of pleasure to Raistlin while he watched her moment of vulnerability.  She turned her gaze to the dancing flames.  "I will," she said, more to herself than to Raistlin.  Her eyes flicked up to rest on his cold stare.  "I will sop you," she repeated.

For once, Raistlin failed to come up with a witty response.  Words utterly failed him.  Something, determination perhaps, burned in the elf-maid's eyes as she looked at him beneath her lashes.  Anger flared inside of him.  He was _not _going to be stopped by a woman!

"No one can stop me."

"I can."  Inanna rose, once again haughty with an arrogance to match his own, and strode purposefully to the door.

"How?" he asked shrewdly. 

Inanna paused, her hand on the door handle.  "You are human, after all."  Without another word, she opened the door and strode out, her robes seemingly laughing at him as they whispered about her ankles.  Raistlin scowled.  Inside, she was laughing at him and  he knew it.

Behind the safety if the closed door, Raistlin let out a roar of rage that anyone would dare to challenge him and smashed the table by the fire to the ground.  And what she had said about him being only human was truer than any other words passed between them.  That's what annoyed him most about her; Inanna's innate ability to see the truth behind every mask he out on and behind every lie he fed to her.  He couldn't hide his true self.  


	5. Please

Caramon looked up from his place at a table in the Inn of the Last Home in Solace when a knock sounded softly but urgently on the door.  Tika glanced at her husband from behind the bar, but didn't say anything.  Caramon sighed and walked over to the door, opening it a crack and peering out into the night.

"Yes?" he asked when his gaze fell upon a cloaked figure standing on the doorstep.  "Can we help you?"

"I need to speak with Caramon Majere about his brother," the figure said shortly.  "It's urgent."

Caramon nodded and opened the door enough for the figure to enter.  He closed the door and turned to meet his guest.  The figure pulled of her cloak to reveal an elf wearing black, velvet robes.  "Who are you?" Caramon asked.  "And what do you know about Raistlin?"

"My name is Inanna," the elf said.  "And I was your brother's companion after he deserted you in the Blood Sea of Istar."

Caramon froze and Tika dropped a freshly cleaned mug on the floor with a loud clatter.  "How…?" Caramon asked weakly.  "I mean-"

"I know what you mean, Caramon," Inanna said shortly, cutting him off.  "He was alone, I needed a companion…" She trailed off, a half smile forming on her face.  "Fate brought us together, just as it tore us apart." 

She turned on her heel and began pacing back and forth.  "Raistlin and I were brought together by the bonds of magic and the cruelty of Fate.  Nothing could have kept us from meeting.  I found him wandering the roads by himself.  He was weak, sick.  I took pity on him and cared for him.  When he regained his strength, he and I made a deal.  Oh, how I regret I ever agreed to it!" 

The elf stopped and turned to Caramon and Tika.  "Do you know what he made me promise?" she asked softly, a dangerous calm in her voice.

"I'm sure I have a pretty good idea, knowing my brother," Caramon said dryly, clasping Tika's hand in his own huge one.

"Indeed," Inanna replied, resuming her nervous pacing.  "Well, I shall tell you.  Raistlin and I made a deal that I could travel with him and obey him in exchange for something I carried with me.  He wanted my necklace; I wanted a companion…a friend.  I should have known I could not find it with him."

"What's so important about your necklace?" Tika asked suddenly, interrupting her.

Inanna turned her cold eyes to the red head and smiled grimly.  "My necklace is very powerful.  The elves never managed to take it away from me when I was exiled from my land.  It could control everything if the wielder so desired.  But I did not think Raistlin would want it to control the forces of magic until now.  I know what he plans to do."  She sighed and gazed down at the floor, unable to look Caramon in the eyes.

"Please," Caramon urged gently.  "What does he want with it?"

"He plans to defeat the Dark Queen and take his place among the gods.  Eventually, he plans to defeat the other gods as well and reign supreme over everything."

The room was deathly silent.  No one said a word.  Tika and Caramon looked at each other, sending a silent message between the two of them.  Inanna looked up at them.  Caramon spoke.  "You must get the necklace back from him."

"I never gave it to him.  That's why our deal was off.  I traveled with Raistlin, all the time telling him I would give him the necklace soon.  Finally, he grew impatient and demanded it of me.  I told him no, and he deserted me.  He left me with nothing.  The only thing I didn't plan on was falling in love with him.  I didn't think I would be upset when he left.  But soon, my grief turned to anger and eventually hatred.  And yet, I still love him, despite my hatred for him.  I would never be able to harm him, and deep down, I think he knows that."

"Then why have you come here?" Tika demanded.  "We cannot do anything against him.  He has grown much too powerful!"

"I know.  I simply came to ask for your help.  I want you to hide the necklace someplace where he won't be able to find it or will refuse to search for it.  I have some unfinished business to attend to, and I don't want him to get a hold of the necklace in his rise to gaining godhood."

"We shall do what we can, my lady," Caramon said respectfully, bowing slightly to her.  "I'm sorry you had to get caught in one of Raist's traps."

Inanna shook her head.  "I saw it, and I walked into his web willingly.  I got myself into this and now I must get myself out.  I must stop him, and I am the only one who can.  Here."  She paused and pulled a long silver chain out from beneath her robes.  A bright light flashed in the room, blinding Tika and Caramon.  But the light receded quickly and they were able to see the necklace properly.

It was simple and unimpressive, save for the teardrop-shaped opal at the end.  It shimmered in the dimly lit common room of the Inn and mesmerized the couple staring at it.  A strange, cold light enveloped it, casting its unearthly glow around the room.

"Please," Inanna murmured.  "Please." 

She walked gracefully forward, her face smooth and suddenly innocent like a child's.  Caramon held out his hadn for the necklace, and it seemed a strange power guided every movement of his, rather than him.  Inanna placed the silver chain and teardrop opal in his palm and closed his fingers around it.  Tika looked on, spellbound by the necklace's unique beauty.  A tear slid down Inanna's cheek and dripped gently onto Caramon's closed fingers.  The tear glistened harmlessly up at him as he watched it with a slight frown.  Suddenly, the necklace in his hand grew white hot and the big warrior cried out in agony, dropping the necklace to the ground. 

He cradled his hand and Tika snapped out of the enchantment holding her.  She bent over her husband, trying to see his hand.  Caramon looked up, intending to see the dark elf laughing at him, but Inanna had gone.  The door to the Inn was slightly ajar and a soft breeze echoed outside.

'_Please_,' the breezed sighed as it blew past the door.  Caramon collapsed on the floor, staring at the necklace, once again gleaming unobtrusively up at him.  He felt Tika shiver next to him.

"she can't be trusted, Caramon," Tika whispered fearfully, looking toward the open door.

"She must be," Caramon replied, looking at his hand.  "It's our only option."

_'Please,' _the wind sighed again.


	6. Confusion

"What the hell is it?" Tanis asked, staring down at the necklace.  Caramon had called him in early that morning, after having stayed up all night, contemplating things.

"It's a necklace," Caramon replied dully.

"I know _that_," he said sharply.  "I mean, does it have any magical powers or anything?"

The big warrior shrugged.  "I don't know.  Inanna just gave it to me and then it burned my hand when her tear fell on it.  It was strange.  It hurt me, and yet, it sent a message to me.  It was telling me not to worry; that everything would be all right.  It also sent me a warning; that burn was a warning.  But I don't know what it was saying exactly.  The pain was too intense, and yet…" He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Tanis sighed and put his face in his hands.  "I do not know what to tell you, my friend," he muttered, rubbing his temples.  "This whole ordeal is a mystery to me.  How did Raistlin find her after all?"

"I think," Tika interrupted, coming over to them, a flagon of ale in each hand, "the question is, how did she find Raistlin?"  She set the two mugs in front of her husband and friend and sat down next to them.  The necklace with the teardrop opal glistened innocently in the morning sunlight.  "How could he want something so small and insignificant?" she wondered aloud.

"You know Raist," said Caramon.  "He's always after strange things.  I mean, this is relatively normal for a wizard to go after.  It looks just innocent enough to attract anybody, and yet, it must be very powerful.  Even I can sense something a bit…off about it."

"I know what you mean, Caramon," Tanis added, nodding.  "I can also feel something in the air.  It's just faint enough to send shivers up my spine and raise the hairs on the back of my neck."

"I wish there was something we could do though," Caramon sighed heavily.  "But I can't think of anything!"

Tanis rose from his seat and laid a hand on his warrior friend's shoulder.  "By the sounds of it, this is a battle between the two dark mages.  There's nothing we can do."

"I know, but I don't want Raist to trap her and dispose of her so easily as I know he's capable."

"Caramon, snap out of it," Tika reprimanded him sharply.  "She told us last night she walked willingly into his trap.  Now she must get herself out.  We can't do anything but hope and keep this necklace out of Raistlin's hands."  She rose also and went back to the kitchen to begin making preparations for the day's opening.

Caramon nodded and went to unlock the Inn's door, leaving the necklace on the table.  Tanis glanced once more at it before taking his leave.  Something was about to happen; he just wasn't sure what.


	7. Waiting

_'Today is the day,' _I thought as the sun rose blood red over the horizon.

 Raistlin's presence was growing ever stronger in my mind.  A week had passed since I had given the necklace to his brother, and I knew he was getting frustrated.  I smiled grimly.  He would never get it.  Not as long as it was in Caramon's hands and free for him to give.  I knew somehow, he never would hand it over to his brother.

I sighed and turned to my apprentice, who was writing a letter to someone at my desk.  "Gwen," I said softly to the young human.

She looked up, her gray eyes flashing with brief annoyance at being interrupted.  But Gwenneth knew better than to say anything to me.  "Yes, Mistress?" she asked, brushing her golden hair out of her face.

"What do you feel?"

Gwen stilled immediately.  She was a strange human.  I had found her wandering through the streets and had caught the sense of magic flowing through her at once.  She knew when the air was telling her something, and I respected that in her.  Therefore, I took her in and trained her as my apprentice.  Gwen had just passed her Test a few months ago with surpassing ease.

"The wind brings tales of danger and struggle for power, Mistress," she said at last.  "It tingles with the very anxiety of watching and waiting for the player to make the next move in the game."  Gwenneth paused.  "Mistress Inanna," she said hesitantly.  "What are you waiting for?  Make your next move.  The board is open for you."

"I already have made my move, Gwen," I replied, turning back to the window.  "I am just waiting now, to see _his _next move."

Gwen stilled once again, listening and feeling the air around them.  "He's calling you."

I nodded slightly.  "Yes.  And I shall answer."

"He wants you dead…out of the way."

"If that be the case, then I shall just have to do something about it…. but what?"

Gwen rose and came to my side, staring out the window also.  "If I may be so bold, Mistress, but I think you must kill him before he does the same to you."

I didn't reply.  I merely inclined my head.  How could I tell her that I couldn't kill him?  My heart wouldn't allow it.  Gwen would never understand that.  Her heart was as hard and cold as marble.  She would never know what it was like to care for someone the way I had grown to care for Raistlin Majere.  He tormented me.  I knew he knew I had a weakness for him, and I knew he was laughing at me for it.

"Besides," Gwen continued, interrupting my thoughts.  "He has a weakness that you don't.  I think he has a soft spot for you, Mistress.  He is only human after all."

_'If only she knew'_, I thought to myself.  _'She cannot see.'_

I sighed and called to Ciro in my mind.  I saw him soar through the air and land heavily in the courtyard.  I turned to face Gwen.  "Watch over things here while I am away, Gwenneth," I instructed firmly.  "I may return, I may not.  It depends on how Fate decides in the end."

"You'll return."

"We shall see."  I closed my eyes and let the familiar darkness envelope me as I began to chant the spidery words of magic.  An instant later I was outside, standing next to Ciro.

_'Where are we going, Inanna?' _he inquired curiously as I mounted onto his back.

_'To decide the winner of this never-ending game of cat and mouse,' _I responded, nudging his flank. 

He spread his great wings and took off into the blue sky towards my opponent.  This was the ultimate test and the lingering answer to the unasked question: Who would be ruler of the world of darkness?  Who would be the most powerful black mage in the realm?


	8. Before the Storm

"_Shalafi_," Dalamar whispered, looking out the window.  "She is coming.  I can see the dragon."

Raistlin didn't even move from his seat before the fire.  "Excellent.  I knew she couldn't stay away.  She could feel my challenge as though I said it to her face to face."

Dalamar looked at his master, his mouth fixed in a half smile.  But he didn't say anything.  He knew his master and that elf were connected in some way, but he wasn't going to press the matter.  Raistlin's eyes became guarded whenever she was mentioned, even if he remained relaxed on the outside. 

"Shall I wait for her, _Shalafi_?" he asked, pausing at the door.

"No, Dalamar.  I shall meet her myself."  He smiled dourly.  "Face to face."  Dalamar nodded, and silently swept out of the room.

A bell sounded in the study.  _'She got through the Grove faster than last time,' _Raistlin thought vaguely.  He sighed and stood up, muttering the spell words.  An instant later, he was standing in front of the door to the Tower. 

Raistlin stared at the woodwork, as though hoping it would tell him what to do.  He knew to achieve what he's always wanted, he'd have to destroy Inanna before she ever destroyed him, but something inside him was holding him back.

He drew in a deep breath and put his hand on the handle.  He pulled the door and opened it to see Inanna's haughty face glaring at him.  Immediately his heart hardened.  He had a goal to reach, and no puny elf would stand in his way.

Plastering a fake smile on his face, he said, "Good to see you again so soon, my friend."

Inanna glowered.  "I came here for one purpose, and that is to beat you at your own game.  If I cannot stop you all together, I shall take what you wanted."  Her mouth quirked upwards into a cocky half-smile.  "And I plan on doing just that."

Raistlin bowed slightly, stepping aside to let her inside.  "I wouldn't dream of anything less, Inanna." 

She entered the Tower, all hesitation gone at the sight of his arrogance.  A second later, both of them vanished, traveling the corridors of magic to their final fate, to the final battle.


	9. The Final Battle

The laboratory was dark and musty.  Raistlin moved quietly about and a moment later, a candle was sputtering, trying to keep away the darkness pressing close in upon the two rivals.  Shadows cast by the flickering light flitted across the walls as though fleeing from the battle about to come.  Inanna watched the shadows warily, looking over her shoulder in the dark corners of the room.  She felt as though she was being watched, but she didn't know who from.

Raistlin took his place in front of the large stone table, caressing it gently, merely to give his hands something to do.  "Why do you want this Inanna?  What compelled you to challenge me?"

"I cannot allow you to become a god.  It will be the end of life as we know it…it will be the end of you," she added as an afterthought.

Raistlin turned slightly, but did not face her head on.  Something had changed in her voice.  Did she care for him?  No.  It was just his imagination.  Still, he could not rid his mind of that brief, pleasant thought of someone caring.  "Where is the necklace?" he asked abruptly.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied stiffly.  Inanna paled and her heart pound fiercely in her chest.  A bead of sweat slid down her temple.  He knew!

Raistlin's voice grew deadly calm.  "With that necklace," he told her softly.  "I could have been the most powerful being on Krynn, second only to the gods.  But you stole that from me.  You kept my destiny chained to you, kept it just out of reach.  I swore to kill you for that."  He whirled around violently and grabbed Inanna roughly by the arms.  "Where is the necklace?!" he demanded angrily.

Inanna spat in his face.  "I would never tell you that!" she shouted back.  Her shout ended in a cry of agony as Raistlin's fingers burned her arms. 

When he released her, his fingers were wet with her blood, and a trickle of blood ran down Inanna's burnt arms.  "The first blood has been spilled," he mumbled, more to himself than her.  Inanna, gasping for air, merely shook her head, clasping her arms in pain.

"You knew it was meant to be this way," she whispered between breaths.  "Ever since that first day I saw you.  After you escaped the Blood Sea of Istar.  Don't you remember?  You cut me with your dagger, thinking me to be an enemy.  Blood was spilt that day by you also."

Raistlin folded his hands inside his black robes and lowered his head, closing his eyes.  "We are each fulfilling our destiny."

"Call it what you will," Inanna snarled, bringing her hand away from the burns on her right arm.  She fingered the sticky blood for a moment, looking at it thoughtfully.  "Destiny has nothing to do with it.  Fate brought us together, and this is our choice.  This is our will to dominate, our ambition.  Not destiny."

The mage barely opened his eyes as he looked at her.  His golden eyes gleamed maliciously like a cat's in the semi-darkness.  "So be it."

A bright flash of light lit the laboratory.  She threw up her injured arms to try and shield her eyes, but the light seared them anyways.  Then, with an almighty bang, she was hurled against the cold, stone wall.  Dizzy and blind, she struggled to move.  Her whole body ached as she stood shakily up.

"That wasn't fair," she spat.

Raistlin moved close to her and whispered in her ear, "Who ever said evil must fight fair?  My dream is on the line, Inanna.  And you are in my way.  You are a thorn in my side; a mere pest that must be eliminated.  You are a tiny speck that is just big enough to be a nuisance."

Inanna smiled.  "Even the smallest can do big things."

He scowled and brought another spell to his lips.  But this time, the elf maid was ready.  Lightening blasted from her fingertips as she finished the last of the spell.  Raistlin shielded it, but barely.

"You are a fly, buzzing constantly," he breathed, circling her menacingly.  "You are a disobedient child who should be punished."

"I was never obedient," she replied, watching him walk around her.  "I learned long ago not to listen to my so-called betters.  I never would have learned magic otherwise.  I would have lived forevermore with the power I could feel, but not use."

"Touching story, but you are still in my way.  Do you see that curtain over there?  That is the entrance to the Abyss.  I only need to find a cleric of Paladine to open it, and then all my ambition will have served me.  But you are forever haunting me.  I want you out of my life, so I may become a god without you forever tearing my soul and heart in two!"

Inanna paused, thinking about what he had said.  She knew he was tiring fast, and she wondered vaguely if what he said was true.  Did he love her?  Unfortunately for her, this was the pause Raistlin had been waiting for.

Quick as lightning, he twitched the leather thong that held his dagger concealed.  The elvish weapon fell into his hand, and he rushed at her.  Inanna, lost in her thoughts, couldn't move fast enough.  The dagger plunged deep into her abdomen.  She gasped, staring into Raistlin's strange eyes; eyes that were glowing with a concentrated, almost manic glint.

Raistlin yanked the dagger from her and watched as she fell to her knees, doubled over in pain.  Blood blossomed over her hands and stained her black robes.  She fell forward and closed her eyes against the pain.  Raistlin watched, slightly pleased.  Now she would no longer be in his way.  He could become a god now.


	10. Passing

Distant shadows moved around my vision.  I could feel my own blood spreading over my hands.  Why had I thought for one moment he loved me or even cared for me?  Oddly though, the only pain I felt was that of my heart breaking, and I couldn't explain why it was.  I hadn't expected him to care for me.  My loving him was just an odd fluke; it was just Fate's way of playing a cruel joke.

I sensed him moving close to me.  He laid a firm hand on my shoulder and rolled me onto my back.  I looked up at him, my vision still blurred by the first flash of light.  I couldn't make out the expression on his face, but I knew he wasn't smiling.  I could feel it in my mind.

I forced a defiant smile to my lips.  "You planned this from the beginning," I said hoarsely, struggling for air.  Now that I was on my back, each breath was painful.

"No.  Only when you got in my way did I plan this," he replied calmly.

I laughed slightly.  "I'll never tell you where that necklace is."

"Ah, but I already know where it is you've taken it.  My brother has it.  But I also know he won't give it to me.  For that is his choice, and the power of the opal won't let me take it by force.  So, I shall simply have to find another way to charm a cleric of Paladine."

"Make them love you, just as you did to me."

I felt him pause.  Did he believe me?  What was this man of mystery and deceit feeling?  I drew in another, more painful breath.  I could feel my life slipping quickly away from me.  It was like trying to keep water cupped in my hands.  The life was flowing unhindered away.

"Raist," I whispered.  "I loved you and cared for you.  That'll never change, even in death.  Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Inanna," he replied coldly.  "I wish my feelings were that of yours.  I care only for myself."

"I know," I breathed.  "I've always known that."  I closed my eyes then, seeing and feeling no more.  He may have won the battle, but in the end, I knew before I took my last breath, I had won the war.  Something told me he would never become a god.  Something inside him would change.  Somehow, I simply knew.


	11. Memory of a Life

Rain spattered against the stained glass windows in the Inn of the Last Home.  Tika shivered as she lit a fire in the grate.  "What a dreary day," she muttered.

Caramon looked up from the mug of ale he was filling.  "The weather is mourning," he mumbled vaguely.

Tika raised an eyebrow.  "I don't know why.  Inanna wasn't one to mourn for."

Caramon shook his head.  "No.  It's mourning for my brother, for Raistlin.  And it's mourning for Krynn."

Tika stayed silent.  She was amazed at her husband's occasional lapses of obvious intelligence.  Bustling around the Inn, she took the mug from her husband and set it in front of the single, weary traveler.  The person was concealed behind a heavy, woolen cloak, and he or she didn't say a word.

"There you are," Tika told the customer.  "The finest ale to warm your bones."

The traveler nodded gratefully and sipped at the foaming liquid.  Tika rejoined her husband behind the counter when the customer gave no further signs of wanting anything else.  "What do you think Caramon?" she sighed, watching the person.  "Will Raistlin reach his goal?"

"I don't know.  But I don't see any point in worrying about it now.  We'll see what the future has in store for us when it comes.  But right now, we have children to raise and an inn to see to.  There'll always be customers to serve."

"I suppose."  Tika glanced at her husband to try and read his facial expression, but Caramon's face was masked and revealed nothing.  She shook her head and looked back to where their customer had been sitting. 

The person had disappeared.  Only a few coins and a half drunk mug of ale remained to show that anyone had been sitting there.  The door to the Inn was slightly ajar, letting in the fierce sounds of the storm outside.  Tika left her husband and crossed the room to close it.  When she turned back around, Caramon too was gone, probably in their room thinking.  She sighed and began absently sweeping the floor, though it was already spotless.

Caramon was right.  They would indeed see what the future held for them when it came.  There truly was no point in worrying yet.  Inanna had been an evil mage, not worthy of any shed tears as far as Tika was concerned.  __

_'But still,' _she thought as she continued sweeping.  _'Perhaps she hadn't been so bad after all.  She had been trying to stop Raistlin from destroying both himself and Krynn.  Perhaps she had had a bit of heart left in her.'_

A tear ran down Tika's cheek and landed on the floor.  This would be the last memory of Inanna, the dark mage who had reveled in darkness.  She would be but a whisper on the wind forevermore.  No more than a child's bedtime story.  Her sacrifice would be but an untold story, except to those who cared to hear it. 

Tika put down her broom and locked the door to the Inn.  She wasn't sure what made her do it, but she did anyways.  She retreated to the back, to join Caramon.  Perhaps to comfort him, perhaps to just be near him and feel his reassuring presence.  Whatever the reason, she stopped her work for the day and cried silently, for the memory of Inanna and partly, though she didn't know it, for the soul of her brother-in-law.  What would become of Raistlin Majere, only the future knew.


End file.
